I’m trying to advise a friend of mine in her job search and we’ve run into a bit of a snag that I’m not sure how to navigate tactfully. I’d very much appreciate someone with more experience telling me how to go about this.
About half a year ago, my friend applied for a lab tech job in the laboratory of Professor X at the Institute of Porcine Aviators (IPA). Professor X seemed kind and encouraging and my friend made it through two interviews, but in the end someone else got the job. The main reason behind the rejection seemed to be that my friend’s major was related to the lab’s focus, but did not contain enough physics and programming to fully prepare her for the undertaking. With no other available employment in her field of interest, my friend took a job in a lab that was closely related to her major and spent the next ~half year there, but eventually quit for several reasons.
At the same time, my friend enrolled in a programming course at a local college where she was taught my an instructor who also happened to work at the Institute of Singing Cetaceans (ISC). Under his guidance, she greatly improved her programming skills and even wrote a simplified version of the kind of software that’s used in the laboratory setting. ISC is home to Professor Y, whose work is closely related to that of Professor X but is more on the theoretical side. Although there were no job opportunities listed at ISC’s web site, my friend emailed Professor Y and asked to work for him. Professor Y responded that her skills would be more applicable in Professor X’s lab at IPA.
At this point we have two questions:
1: There are currently no job openings listed at IPA. Is it ok to email Professor X directly and ask if there is an available position in her lab? If this were someone new I wouldn’t hesitate, but it somehow feels strange to send a solicitation via email when the friend had previously been rejected through the official channel.
2: Should my friend mention that Professor Y suggested for her to talk to Professor X? On one hand it seems like this would add more weight to her petition; on the other hand it makes it seem like Professor X was a fallback choice.
Of course it’s OK. Email an updated resume with a cover letter explaining the skills upgrade and the desire to work for IPA now with increased experience and skills.
I’d leave Professor Y out of it, unless she first checks with Professor Y that it’s OK to use him as a reference.
I think she should email Prof. X, mention the past interview and reason for disqualification. Then detail her new skills/knowledge/qualifications, and inquire if there are any open positions that she may now be a suitable candidate for. I wouldn’t mention Prof. Y.
Prof. Y would be more of a referral than a reference. I’d check, just to be sure, but people pay more attention to a resume coming in when it is forwarded or recommended by someone they know.
And, Danja since different jobs require different skill sets, saying that Prof. X is a better match than Prof. Y is not a fallback, it is applying for the job where your friend can make the biggest contribution. This is not dating!
One thing to add - one must be aware of the politics of the field, and make sure that Prof. X and Y are not bitter enemies.
I suppose my concern would be the previous rejection may put your friend into the ‘nope’ category in X’s mind. I’m not saying this is right or reasonable; I’m saying professors can be petty and even normal people tend to categorize people and it’s hard to move oneself out of a categorization.
I mean, it doesn’t hurt to try again, I suppose, just as long as you avoid coming off desperate.
Thanks for the replies, everyone. Just to clarify a couple points:
You are correct that Prof. Y is a referral. He works at the same institute as my friend’s programming teacher, who contacted him on my friend’s behalf, but Prof. Y himself had no direct contact with my friend other than a brief email exchange and as such would be an unsuitable reference. I’m not sure what the etiquette is of mentioning referrals. I would of course suggest mentioning it if he were a reference.
I suppose that I do have a “dating-like” approach to this whole process. I’m a grad student and have had no significant job hunting experience, so dating is the closest thing I can relate to
Prof. X and Prof. Y have many joint publications, and I know that Prof. Y has sent his own students to work for Prof. X before. I think the political landscape is safe.
That is one thing I’m concerned about of course. Any tips on avoiding getting “friendzoned”?
